Apparatus and method for controlling and monitoring an electro-hydraulic servovalve

Abstract

A method for actively calculating a capability of an electronically controlled valve is provided. The method including the steps of: a) operating the electronically controlled valve in accordance with a task; b) testing the electronically controlled valve in order to determine a range of movement of the electronically controlled valve in accordance with an initial gain, wherein the testing of the electronically controlled valve occurs after the valve has been operated in accordance with the task; c) determining a new gain required for providing a predetermined range of movement of the electronically controlled valve; and d) repeating steps a-c at least once, wherein the new gain is used to operate the valve in accordance with the task.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of calculating a capability of an electronically controlled valve and operating the electronically controlled valve, comprising:
 a) operating the electronically controlled valve in accordance with a task; 
 b) testing the electronically controlled valve in order to determine a range of movement of the electronically controlled valve in accordance with an initial gain that is provided by an engine electronic control, wherein the testing of the electronically controlled valve occurs after the electronically controlled valve has been operated in accordance with the task, recording the initial gain for providing the range of movement of the electronically controlled valve; 
 c) determining a new gain required for providing a predetermined range of movement of the electronically controlled valve, wherein the new gain is compared to a predetermined value in order to determine whether the electronically controlled valve is trending towards a threshold value; and 
 d) repeating steps a-c at least once, wherein each new gain determined by the repeating steps is used to operate the electronically controlled valve by providing a desired movement of the electronically controlled valve in accordance with the task. 
 
     
     
       2. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the electronically controlled valve is a fuel valve of a gas turbine engine. 
     
     
       3. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein each new gain determined by repeating steps is an average of a plurality of gains each being a result of the testing of the electronically controlled valve performed in the repeating steps, wherein each one of the testing of the electronically controlled valve determines the range of movement of the electronically controlled valve in accordance with the initial gain, wherein each one of the testing of the electronically controlled valve occurs after the electronically controlled valve has been operated in accordance with the task. 
     
     
       4. The method as in  claim 3 , wherein the electronically controlled valve is a fuel valve of a gas turbine engine. 
     
     
       5. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the threshold value is a speed of the electronically controlled valve that is indicative of a repair. 
     
     
       6. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the initial gain is in mA/inch and is applied to a control loop of the electronically controlled valve. 
     
     
       7. A system for operating and actively calculating a capability of an electronically controlled valve, comprising:
 an engine electronic control; 
 wherein the engine electronic control is configured to provide an initial gain, wherein the initial gain provides a range of movement of the electronically controlled valve when the initial gain is provided to the electronically controlled valve by the engine electronic control; and 
 wherein the engine electronic control is configured to:
 i) operate the electronically controlled valve in accordance with a task; 
 ii) test the electronically controlled valve in order to determine a range of movement of the electronically controlled valve in accordance with the initial gain, wherein the testing of the electronically controlled valve occurs after the electronically controlled valve has been operated in accordance with the task; 
 iii) record the initial gain; 
 iv) determine a new gain required for providing the predetermined range of movement of the electronically controlled valve, wherein the new gain is compared to a predetermined value in order to determine whether the electronically controlled valve is trending towards a threshold value; and 
 v) repeat steps i-iv at least once, wherein each new gain determined by the repeated steps is used to operate the electronically controlled valve by providing a desired movement of the electronically controlled valve in accordance with the task. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The system as in  claim 7 , wherein the electronically controlled valve is a fuel valve of a gas turbine engine. 
     
     
       9. The system as in  claim 7 , wherein each new gain determined by the repeating steps is an average of a plurality of gains each being a result of one of the testing of the electronically controlled valve performed in the repeating steps, wherein each one of the testing of the electronically controlled valve determines the range of movement of the electronically controlled valve in accordance with the initial gain, wherein each one of the testing of the electronically controlled valve occurs after the electronically controlled valve has been operated in accordance with the task. 
     
     
       10. The system as in  claim 9 , wherein the electronically controlled valve is a fuel valve of a gas turbine engine. 
     
     
       11. The system as in  claim 7 , wherein the threshold value is a speed of the electronically controlled valve that is indicative of a repair. 
     
     
       12. The system as in  claim 7 , wherein the initial gain is in mA/inch and is applied to a control loop of the electronically controlled valve. 
     
     
       13. A method of predicting a trend of an electronically controlled valve, and operating the electronically controlled valve, comprising:
 a) recording an initial gain required for providing a predetermined range of movement of the electronically controlled valve; 
 b) operating the electronically controlled valve in accordance with a task; 
 c) testing the electronically controlled valve in order to determine a range of movement of the electronically controlled valve in accordance with the initial gain, wherein the testing of the electronically controlled valve occurs after the electronically controlled valve has been operated in accordance with the task; 
 d) determining a new gain required for providing the predetermined range of movement of the electronically controlled valve; 
 e) comparing the new gain to a threshold value to determine whether the new gain is greater than the threshold value; and 
 f) repeating steps b-e at least once, wherein the new gain is used to operate the electronically controlled valve by providing a desired movement of the electronically controlled valve in accordance with the task. 
 
     
     
       14. The method as in  claim 13 , wherein the initial gain is in mA/inch and is applied to a control loop of the electronically controlled valve. 
     
     
       15. The method as in  claim 14 , wherein the electronically controlled valve is a fuel valve of a gas turbine engine. 
     
     
       16. The method as in  claim 13 , wherein the electronically controlled valve is a fuel valve of a gas turbine engine. 
     
     
       17. The method as in  claim 13 , wherein the threshold value is a speed of the electronically controlled valve that is indicative of a repair.